BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP -- Edgewood schools are formulating a plan to deal with a surge in enrollment.
All kindergarten children in the district might be moved to Trenton Elementary School next fall.
Assistant Superintendent Tom York said administrators also are studying a plan to begin split sessions at Edgewood High School next fall.
Under that scenario, the school would go to a 10-12 period day. Juniors and seniors would be scheduled in the morning while freshmen and sophomores attended classes in the afternoons.
"We know for sure -- whether the bond issue passes or not -- that we have to do something next year. We are out of space," Mr. York said.
"Across the board, grades K-12, class sizes will increase." In May, the district had an enrollment of 2,905, which has grown to 3,065. Another 160 or more students are expected to enroll before the 1999-2000 school year, Mr. York said.
The school board has put an $18.9 million bond issue on the Nov. 3 ballot. It is the fifth time in the last two years voters have been asked to pay for added classrooms.
If approved, the money would pay for a two-story addition at Babeck Elementary School, an expansion of Edgewood High School, a connector between Trenton and Bloomfield elementary schools, classroom renovations and an upgrading of the gymnasium at Trenton. To house more elementary children, kindergartners from Seven Mile Elementary will move to Trenton Elementary next year, freeing up two classrooms at Seven Mile.
Five classes from Babeck or Bloomfield also will be moved to Trenton to free up classrooms in those buildings. It has not been determined yet which classes will move.
At the high school, enrollment is expected to increase from about 860 today to between 925 and 950 next year, Mr. York said.
Besides increasing class size and going to split sessions, educators are looking at relaxing policies that require seniors to be scheduled into study halls or elective classes once their requirements are met.
Seniors might be allowed to come to school only when they had scheduled classes instead of requiring them to stay all day, Mr. York said.
Before a final decision is made on the high school situation, the teachers will be consulted, Mr. York said.
Should the district go to double sessions, a modification in the master contract might be necessary.
